Rooney says Steelers haven’t explored a Roethlisberger trade

The agents for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger have disputed the report that Ben could ask to be traded in the offseason. The team has now chimed in, too.

“Contrary to erroneous reports, the Pittsburgh Steelers have not explored trading quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and have no plans to do so,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a statement posted on the team’s official website.

In response to the Steelers’ response, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network says he didn’t report that which the Steelers now deny.

We fully support reporters defending their work, but reporters who work for the network owned equally by all 32 teams should, at times, tread lightly. Rooney believes Rapoport’s report was erroneous. Calling Rooney out on that point via Twitter is brave. Or foolish. Or somewhere in between.

Regardless, we now know that Roethlisberger doesn’t want out and the Steelers don’t want him out.

what happened in the SB was he started slow, picked up steam and finished strong. whereas the defense got torched and mendenhall (the “rushing” game) fumbled on a potential go ahead drive and then GB scored again on the D.

ben also could have been the XLIII mvp in case you forgot. do you forget the game winning TD throw? not his fault the O line and running game have turned to crap the past few years.

Well, Rappaport is kindof right – he said Ben is frustrated and will ask for a trade… but he also said that the Steelers fielded calls before – that they answered the phone before and the source expects them to answer the phone again.

Rappaport never said they were initiating but he did say they’ve listened in the past and are expected to do so again.

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“NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that Big Ben is “incredibly frustrated” with the direction of the franchise, according to Steelers sources. Team sources expect Roethlisberger to ask the Steelers to explore a possible trade in the offseason, Rapoport was told.

Pittsburgh fielded trade offers for Big Ben last offseason and the team expects to answer the phone again in 2014.”

Your right. Rooney won’t mention a trade, why would he? The fact is Rooney is talking to teams quietly about a one and a two for Ben. It’s the smartest move by the best front office, we will stock up on the draft and win another Super Bowl.

Lets wait 3 yrs from now when Ben is washed up and our young players are coming along to get nothing for Ben or let’s trade Ben to AZ for some good Draft pics now, take the cap hit while our young personal is inexperienced to make the team better down the road…..No brainer – Send him packing while he is still a “good’ qb. This is a business.

If Ben were on Detroit, Chicago, or Cincinnati, they would be 9-0 and overwhelming favorites to win the Super Bowl. Those teams get by with average QBs who make a living throwing the ball up for grabs to 6’5″ studs who fight in coverage for it.

Ben is throwing to midgets who can’t outrun anyone or fight for the ball in traffic.

He should want out of Pittsburgh. In the span of two years, they got rid of his offensive coordinator, favorite WR, best OT, and surrounded him with utter crap.

Whatever happens, happens. My opinion is this: you’ve had a while to build your team around your franchise quarterback and you didn’t. You brought in Todd Haley to ‘protect’ Ben, and he’s still on pace to get sacked more times than any other quarterback. So frankly, Haley hasn’t done anything spectacular.

The Steelers are going to do what’s best for them and Ben is going to do what’s best for him. Whatever the outcome, I believe that Roethlisberger will continue to give you 110% and never quit. Here’s hoping for the best.

I’m a Pittsburgher, and I’ve objectively watched the Steelers as an Eagles fan for the past 11 years that I’ve lived here…and if a team offered a first and a third for him I’d have an extremely hard time turning that down. Of course, Colbert would probably waste those picks, anyways.